Double car-roof



No. 624,654. Patented May 9, |8929.v C. H. HUTUHINS.

DDUBLE GAR ROOF.

(Applicationl'ed Feb. 6, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 sheata-Shae I.

Hfs To RNE Vs.

me News Pinus co., mow-umn., WASHINGTON, D c,

Patented May 9, |839. l C. H. HUTOHiNS. DOUBLE OAR ROOF.

(Application led Feb. Q, 1899.)

2 Sheets--Shaek 2.

(No Model.)

W/TNESSES:

H/s TUR/Veys.

llNrTED STATES l PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. HUTOHINS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

DOUBLE CAR-ROOF.

SPECIFICATION frmhg part Of Letters Patent No. 624,654, dated May 9, 1899 Application filed February 6, 1899. Serial No. 704,627. (No model.)

Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement'in Double Oar-Roofs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the construction of roofs for railway-cars, and more particularly to the kind of car-roofs commonly known as double car-roofs, wherein an inner roof of sheet metal is combined with an outer roof of Wood.

Double car-roofs or combined sheet-metal and wood car-roofs have heretofore usually been. constructed of three general types or classes-first, where it is attempted to cornbine both the sheet-metal roof and the wood roof with one and the same main roof frameby laying the roof-boards and the metal roofplates one directly on top of the other and nailing or securing the roof-.boards through the metal plates to the single roof-frame. Roofs of this general class are illustrated, for example,in the patents to Wands,Nos. 153,868 and 302,452, or Aldridge, Nos. 194,286 and 221,142. In combined wood and metal roofs of this type or class the metal roof or covering may have the important practical advantage of being continuous, the edges of the adjacent wide metal plates overlapping each other; but the metal root' is necessarily perforated with numerous nail or other holes liable to form leaks and the metal and wood roofs are necessarily rigidly united together, thus destroying the natural iiexibility of the wood roof-frame and its capability to successfully withstand the shocks and jars and the weaving and torsional strains and motions to which it is subjected in use. second class or type of combined wood and metal car-roofs an outer continuous covering In another 0r,

continuous metal roof, as the metal sheets only` extend longitudinally from one carline to another and simply cover the series of spaces between the carlines, thus necessarily losing the great object or advantage of a continuous and complete sheet-metal covering of wide and non-disengageable sheets or plates, while the lnetal plates thus iitting between the carlines necessarily also form a destructively-rigid union between the metal roof and the Wood or board roof and the roof-frame, and the shocks and jars and torsional and weaving strains and motions to which the roof is subjected in use tend to dislodge the edges of the metal plates from the grooves in the carlines or roof-frames in which they fit, thus causing leaks and speedily destroying the integrity of the roof. This construction is also comparatively complicated and eX- pensive, requiring a great deal of time and labor, care, and accuracy, as the carlinesand roof-frame require not only to be specially groov'ed and fitted and accurately sized and arranged or spaced, 'but the sheet-metall nings, No. 512,087, or Williamson and Pries,

No. 584,836, attempts have been made to practically combine together an inner sheetmetal roof with an outer roof through the agency ot two superimposed roof-frames, one upon which the sheet-metal plates of the inner inetalroof are laid and the other upon which the boards of the outer wood roof are laid. In this latter class or type of combined wood and sheet-metal car-roofs the inner sheet-metal roof is not continuous, the sheetmetal plates extending. simply from one carline to another, the Vcarlines being provided with grooves' to receive the edges of the metal plates, and the metal plates thus tittin g between the carlines necessarily rendering the structure rigid and destroying the iexibility of the roof-frame. Oar-roofs of this double-roo-frame type are thus subject to most, if not all, the defects, difficulties, and objections of the second class or type just IOO before mentioned, wherein a single roof-frame is employed, and to the further difficulty or objection that the outer wood roof and its j frame are exceedingly liable in practice to be wrenched off the car by high winds or by airsuction when the train is in rapidunotion, and to the further defect that the outer roofframe, while adding to the expense or cost, is not so combined with the main roof-frame as to give any material additional strength or fiexibility thereto, and generally it may be stated that in all combined sheet-metal and wood car-roofs heretofore in use, wherein the construction is such as to rigidly unite the metal plates to the single roof-frame, or to either one of the two roof-frames where a double roof-frame is employed, the jars and shocks to which the cars ,are subjected and the torsional, Weaving, and buckling strains or motions communicated to the carroof in use tend greatly tovdestroy the integrity of both the metal roof and the wood roof, causing cracks and leaks therein and speedilyimpairing the whole structure, and where the metal plates of the metal roof are fitted or mortised into grooves in the carlines or framework of the roof they necessarily form a structural bracing element of the car-roof frame, destroying its flexibility and capability of successfully withstanding the shocks, jars, and torsional and weaving strains and motions to which it is subjected, and in all constructions'of combined sheet-metal and wood carroofs heretofore in use, wherein a double roof-frame is employed with a sheet-metal covering between, great difficulty1 has always been experienced in properly securing or anchoring the upper wood roof in place, such outer covering being frequently wrenched from the car by violent winds or by air-suction produced by the rapid motion of the train, as before stated.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, economical, efficient, durable, and practical construction of combined sheetmetal and wood car-roof, which will successfully overcome all the difficulties heretofore experienced in practically combining into a singlennitary structure a sheet-metal and wood roof for cars. In other words, it is my object to so combine the sheet-metal roof with the wood roof and frame that the structure as a whole will preserve the flexibilityof the wood roof the same as thougha tar composition or plastic roof were used in connection therewith instead of a sheet-metal roof; also, to so combine the sheet-metal roof with the main roof-frame and the su per roof-f rame that the car or root' as a whole will have the full strength and flexibility due to the two roofframes, while at the same time the two roofframes shall be so connected together that all possibility of the outer board roof beinglifted from the car by wind or air-suction shall be effectually prevented, and at the same time enable any individual sheet or plate of the metal roof to be independently removed and replaced for the purpose of repairs without disturbing the other plates or the board roof or either of the two roof-frames.

My invention consists in the means I ernploy to overcome the aforesaid difficulties an d objections and to accomplish the object or re sult above mentioned; that is to say, it consists in the combination, with a main roofframe comprising carlines and purlins, a ridge-purlin, a plate and facia, all properly framed and secured together, of a super roofframe comprising carlines and purlins and a ridge-purlin, a continuous sheet-metal roof comprising a series of loose independentlyremovable sheets or plates extending lfrom the ridge to the eaves between said main roofframe and said super roofframe,the side edges of the adjacent metal plates being joined together by loose high standing joints consisting in a high upright flange on the edge of one plate and a high upright inverted- U shaped fold on the meeting edge of the adjacent sheet or plate, whereby the sheets are kept from all possibility of becoming disengaged or disjoined one from another, so that the sheet-metal covering may always be maintained absolutely continuous and complete without break or leak throughout and over the whole roof, while at the same time the iny facia and the supercarlines at the eave ends thereof and, further, 'bolts extending Acentrally through the main and super ridgepurlins between the ends of the oppositelyinclined metal plates on'the two sides of the roof. The main roof-frame and the super roof-frame are thus firmly and adequately secured together, so that there is no possibility of any wind orair-suction wrenching the outer wood roof from the car and so that the roof as a whole is given the full or combined strength and flexibility of both roof-frames, each roof-frame supplementing and coperating with the other, while at the same time' the continuous metal roof between the upper and lower roof-frames is itself loose and flexible, being composed of a series of loosely-joined but non-disengageable sheets acting somewhat on the principle of the links of a chain and in no Way tending to render rigid or brace the roof-frames or destroy their natural flexibility. The bolts extending through the main -t'acia and the lower ends of the Supercarlines also extend through the lower ends of the metal plates of the continuous flexible sheet-metal roof, one bolt extending through each metal plate. The single bolt extending ICO IIO

through the plate near its lower end leaves the plate substantially free under any limited movement necessary to prevent undue strains upon the roof and to prevent the metal plates from having a brace effect upon either the upper or lower roof-frame. To permit the roofplates to be independently removed and replaced with ease, the supercarlines are located intermediate of the main carlines, so that the metal roof-plates are not clamped directly between the main carlines and supercarlines, as would be the case if the supercarlines were placed directly above the main carlines. 4

As in my invention the sheet-metal roof is continuous and flexible by reason of the loose standing joints joining the meetingedges of adjacent sheets, all`necessary flexibility to ,rial than the corrugated plates.

prevent giving undue rigidity to the-roof as a whole being thus secured, I am enabled to employ flat metal sheets as contradistinguished from corrugated sheets which have heretofore generally been employed in metal roofs, the corrugations in the sheet metal be,- ing intended to give some degree of yield to the sheet metal in the direction of the plane of the roof. This results in a very material Savin g in the cost of construction, as my flat plates require about ten per cent. less mate- In the construction of my double car-roof it will also be observed that the carlines and su percarlines may be placed any desired or varying dis-v tances apart, requiring no cxtreme accuracy of construction or of size or shape and no special configuration or shapin g of the parts composing the frames, and that the sheet-metal plates are also very simple of construction and require no special fitting between the parts of the frame, as they extend continuously in the same plane between the two roofframes. My roof is therefore of a very simple and cheap construction and may be rapidly built or put together with little labor.

My invention also consists in the novel construction of parts and devices and inthe novel combinations of parts and devices herein shown and described, and specified in the claims. v Y

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification and in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts throughout all the' views, Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a car-roof embodying my invention, the outer or wood roof being in part removed. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section on line 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 8 is a vertical cross-section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a

longitudinal section on line et 4 of Fig. l, and Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of the joint uniting the meeting edges of adjacent plates t of the sheetmetal roof.

The main roof-frame comprises the `maincarlines B, the main purlins C, the ridge-purlin C', and the main facia D, all these parts tween the two frames.

being securely framed or united together and v to the car-body or its frame in the usual or customary manner.

Above the main roof-frame is a su pplemenv tal or super-roof-frame comprising Supercarlines F, superpurlins G, and a ridge-purlin G.

H isa continuous flexible sheet-metal roof fitting and extending continuously between the main roof-frame and the super roof-frame and composed of a series of metal plates each extending from the eave to the ridge-of the roof and flexiblyjoined togetherat their meeting side edges byl high standing joints h 7L. As will be seen from the drawings, each of the high standing joints h 7L comprises a high upright flange hon the edge of one sheet and an inverted-U fold h' on the meeting edge of the adjacent sheet. A Each metal plate or sheet thus has a high upright liange 71. on one side edge `and a corresponding inverted-U fold h on its opposite edge. The flange h and fold h' are preferably made about three-fourths of an inch in height, so that no shock, jar, or torsional or weaving strain or motion to which the car or roof may be subjected can operate to disengage the two members ofthe loose joint. The space between the two limbs of the U fold h should be twoor three times the thickness of the sheet metal, so as to give ample room for all necessary movements of the roof-plates in respect to each other under strains or shocks or expansion and contraction due to changes in temperature, and thus prevent all danger of injury either to the wood roof or the metal roof or the roofframes or car as a whole from any Vshocks or strains to which the car may be subjected. The inverted-U fold h and fiange h also afford smooth loo guides for the individual plates or sheets of the roof in slipping the same individually or independently in and out for repairing or other purposes. r

As will be seen from the drawings, the supercarlines F are preferably intermediate or not directly above the main carlines B, so that the main and super carlines will not have any direct clamping or binding effect upon the sheet -metal plates H tending to interfere with the easy removal or replacement of the sheets'independent of each other. By combining the independently-removable sheetmetal roof-plates with the main frame and superframe in this manner, with the supercarlines intermediate of the main carlines, the fiexibility of the sheet-metal roof-plates enables them to be readily removed from be- The loose standing joints 7i 7L are also preferably located intermediate of and not adjacent to the Supercarlines F, as the standing joints and the supercarlines thus divide the sheet-metal roof into comparatively narrow spaces or troughs to convey down and out any dirt, cinders, or other material that may accumulate between the wood roof and the sheet-metal roof. By

this particular arrangement and combination of parts also the standing joints will have no Irobinding effect against the supercarlines in removing or replacing the sheet-metal plates H.

The supercarlines F extend out or down beyond the outer edge of the main facia D suiiiciently to leave a space X between the main facia D and a superfacia K, which is nailed or otherwise secured directly to said projecting ends f of the supercarlines F. This space X leaves room for the water, dirt, and cinders that may collect on the inner or sheet-metal roof to pass out freely. A downturned flange h2 is turned at the lower edge of the sheet-metal plates.

M are removable bolts extending through the .outer superpurlin C and the lower ends of the supercarlines F and the main facia D. These bolts are furnished with threaded nuts m at their lower ends and securely anchor the superframe to the main frame at the eaves. The bolts M have slotted or other heads m', adapted to be turned from above, so that the nuts m may have one side to abut directly against the siding A2, and thereby be prevented from turning or unscrewng. The bolts M pass through suitable holes h3, provided for the pnrposeLone in each of the metal plates of the metal roof. The bolts thus serve to prevent the metal plates from slipping down or outward. The ridge superpurlin G' is notched or gained at o to receive the supercarlines F, and also at g' to receive the standing joints h h of the sheet metal roof.

N N are the bolts which extend through the main ridge-purlin c and the super ridgepurlin G between the meeting ends of the oppositely-inclined metal plates H H of the sheet-metal roof,'the same being provided with threaded nuts n n.

P P are the bolts extending horizontally through the plates A and the main facia D,

thus securely uniting the main facia to the car-body frame. Risthe foot-board, and R the sill-hooks, supporting the same.

T is the wood roof, composed of matched boards nailed to the superpurlins G.

The loose standing joints h h with which each sheet-metal plate is furnished not only serve to loosely and non-disengageably connect the series of sheet-metal plates composing the flexible sheet-metal root' together, but they serve to individually strengthen and stiften each separate independent sheet-metal plate of the roof, thus securing the advantage in point of strength of corrugated plates at a substantial saving in material.

To repair or remove and replace any particular sheet-metal plate of the roof, all that is required to be done is to remove the outer facia in whole or in part and then take out the bolt M, which extends ythrough the particular sheet-metal plate to be removed, when said plate can be readily slipped out and repaired or replaced with a new one.

The loose high-standing joints 7L 7L', which `flexibly and loosely connect the Vplates H H of the metal roof at their side edges, are, as will be seen from the drawings, substantially equal in height to the thickness of the supercarlines F, Which extend in the same direction as and parallel to said joints, so that the superpurlins G prevent all possibility of the members 7i h of the high-standing joints becoming disengaged under any shocks or strains to which the car or its root may be subjected in use.

The metal plates H at the ends of the carroof are preferably furnished with downturned flanges h2 to overlap the end faceboard S, said flange iitting between the faceboard S and the upper face-board S at the ends of the car.

I claiml. In a car, the combination with a main roof-frame united to the frame of the car and comprising carlines and purlins and a ridge-purlin, of a super roof-frame comprising carlines and purlins and a ridge-purlin, a board roof secured to said superframe, and a continuous sheet-metal roof composed of a series of independently-removable metal plates extending from the eave to the ridge between said main frame and superframe, said metal plates being joined directly together at their adjacent edges by loose standing joints adapted to permit the necessary movement of the plates in respect to each other to prevent injury thereto or to the roof as a whole and also to permit each metal plate to be removed or inserted .without disturbing the others or said wood roof or superframe, and removable bolts extending through the lower ends of said supercarlines and uniting the same to the eave-plate or facia of the main frame, said removable bolts having threaded nuts substantially as specified.

2. In a car, the combination with a main roof-frame united to the frame of the car and comprising carlines and purlins and a ridgepurlin, of a super roof-frame independent of and not framed into said main roofframe and comprising carlines and purlins and a ridge-purlin, a board roof secured to said superframe, and a continuous sheetmetal roof composed of a series of independently-removable i'lat metal plates extending from the eave to the ridge between said main frame and superframe, said metal plates being joined together at their adjacent edges by loose standing joints adapted to permit the necessary movement of the plates in -respect to each other to prevent injury-thereto or to the roof as a whole and also to permit each metal plate to be removed or inserted without disturbing the others or said wood roof or superframe, and consisting of a high upright flange on the sheet and a corresponding inverted-U fold on the meeting edge of the adjacent sheet, and bolts extending centrally through said main ridge-purlin and said super ridge-purlin between the ends of the oppositely-inclined metal plates, and re- IOO IIO

IIS

IZO

movable bolts extending through said lowerl root-frame united to the frame of the car and comprising carlinesandpii'rlins and a ridgepurlin, of a super roof-frame comprising carlines and purlins and a ridge-purlin, a board roof secured to said superframe, and. a continuous sheetmetal roof composed of a series of independently-removable iiat metal plates extending from the eave to the ridge between said main frame and superframe, said metal plates being joined together at their adjacent edges by loose standing joints adapted to permit the necessary movement of the plates in respect to each other to prevent injury thereto or to the roof as a whole and also to permit each metal plate to be removed or inserted without disturbing the others or said wood root' or superframe, a main facia attached to the main frame, bolts extending. through said main facia 1and said supercarlines, and a facia attached to the super roof-frame, said removable bolts having threaded nuts substantially as specified.;

4. In a car, the combination with-a main roof-frame united to the frame of the car and comprising carlines and purlins and a ridgepurlin, of a super roof-frame comprising carlines and purlins and a ridge-purlin, a board roof secured to said super roof-frame, and a continuous sheet-metal roof composed of a series of independently-removable metal plates extending from the eave to the ridge between said main frame and superframe, said metal plates being joined together atV their adjacent edges by loose standing joints adapted to permit the necessary movement of the plates in respect to each other to prevent injury thereto or to the roof as a whole and also to permit each metal plate to be removed or inserted without disturbing the others or said wood roof or superframe, bolts extending centrally through said main ridge-purlin and said super ridge-purlin between the ends of the oppositely-inclined metal plates, removable bolts extending through said lower ends of said supercarlines and uniting the same to the main facia secured to the cave-plates of the main frame, and a facia attached to the projecting ends of the supercarlines of the su per roof-frame, said removable bolts having threaded nuts substantially as specified.

5. In a Car, the combination with a main roof-frame united to the frame of the car, of`

necessary movement of the plates in'respe'ct to each other to prevent injury thereto or to the roof as a whole and also to permit each metal plate to be removed or inserted without disturbing others or said wood lroof or superframe, the carlines of the superframe being intermediate and not directly above the carlines of the main frame, substantially as specified.

6. In a car, the combination with a main roof-frame unitedl to the frame of the car, of a super roof-frame, a board roof secured to said super roof-frame, and a continuoussheetmetal roof composed ot a series of independently-removable metal plates fitting between said frames and extending continuously from end to end of the car and from the eaveto the ridge, said metal plates being joined directly together at their adjacent side edges by loosestanding joints adapted to permit the necessary movement of the plates in respect to each other to prevent injury thereto or to the roof as a whole and also to permit each 'metal plate to be removed or inserted without disturbing others or said wood roof or superframe, the carlines of the superframe being intermediate and not directly above the Y carlines of the main frame, the carlines of the superframe having projecting ends f extend- IOC) percarlines and superpurlins and a board roof secured thereto, and a continuous sheet-metal roof fitting between said roof-frames and composed of a series of independently-removable metal plates joined directly together at their adjacent side edges by loose standing joints consisting each of a high upright flange and an inverted-U fold on the edges of adjacent plates, said standing joints and supercarlines together dividing the sheet-metal roof into a series of narrowT spaces or troughs, substantially as specified.

S. In a car, the combination with a main roof-frame, of a super roof-frame having supercarlines and superpurlins and a board roof secured thereto, and a continuous sheet-metal roof fitting between said root-frames and composed of a series of independently-removable metal plates joined directly together at their adjacent side edges by loose standing joints consisting each of a high upright flange and an inverted-U fold on the edges of adjacent plates, said standing joints and supercarlines together dividing the sheet-metal roof into a series of narrow spaces or troughs, and bolts extending through the eave ends of the supercarlines and the facia of themain trame, substantially as specified.

9. In a car, the combination with a main rio ISO

roof-frame, of a super roof-frame having supercarlines and superpurlins and a board roof' secured thereto, and a continuous sheet-lnetal roof fitting between said roof-frames and composed of a series of independently-removable metal plates joined directly togetherat their adjacent side edges by loose standing joints consisting each of a high upright flange and an inverted-U fold on the edges of adjacent plates, said standing joints and su percarlines together dividing the sheet-metal -roof into a series ot' narrow spaces or troughs, bolts extending through the eave ends of the supercarlines and the facia ot the main frame, and bolts extending through the ridge-purlins of said main and super frames between the m eet-- ing ends of the oppositely-inclined metal plates of the metal roof, substantially as specified.

l0. Ilia car, the combination with a main roof-frame, of a super roof-frame having supercarlines and superpurlins and a board root secured thereto, and a continuous sheet-metal roof` ittin g between said roof-f rain es and composed ot a series of independently-removable metal plates joined directly together at their adjacent side edges by loose standing joints consisting each of a high upright flange and an inverted-U fold on the edges of adjacent plates, said standingjoints and su'perearlin es together dividing the sheet-metal root' into a series of narrow spaces or troughs, bolts extending through the eave ends of the supercarlines and the faeiaof the main frame and the lower ends of the metal plates of the metal roof, substantially as specified.

1l. The double car-roof comprising a main frame,a su perframe covered with roof-boards, and a continuous loose fiexible sheet-metal roof` fitting between said main and super frames and extending continuously from end to end of the car and from eave to ridge without bracing connection with either of' said frames and composed of a series of independently-removable plates loosely and iexibly j oind togetherat their meeting side edges by high standingjoints consisting each of a high upright integral fiange on one sheet and an integral open inverted-U fold on the adjacent sheet-,and removable bolts having threaded nuts extending through the lower ends of said metal plates and connecting said main and super frames together at the eaves thereof, substantially as specified.

l2. The double car-roof comprising a main frame,a superframe covered with roof-boards, and a continuous loose,l flexible sheet-metal root fitting between said main and super out bracing connection with either of said frames and com posed of a series of independently-removable plates loosely and fiexibly joined together at their meeting side edges by high standing joints consisting each of a high upright integral flange on one sheet and an integral open inverted-U fold on the adjacent sheet,and removable bolts having` threaded nuts extending through the lower ends of said metal plates and connecting said main and super frames together at the eaves thereof, and bolts connecting said main and super frames togetherat the ridge thereof, said bolts extending between the meeting ends of the oppositely-inclined metal plates at the ridge,

substantially as specified.

13. The double car-root comprisinga main fram e,a superframe covered with roof-boards, and a continuous loose flexible sheet-metal roof fitting between said main and super frames and extending continuously from end to end of' the car and from eave to ridge without bracing connection with either of said frames and composed of a series of independently-removable flat plates loosely and flexibly joined togetherat their meeting side edges by high standing joints consisting each of a high upright integral fiange on one sheet and an integral open inverted- U fold on the adjacent sh eet,and removable bolts having threaded nuts extending through the lower ends of said metal plates and connecting said main and super frames togetherat the eaves thereof', substantially as specified.

14. The double car-roof comprisinga main frame, a superframe covered with boards, and a continuous loose [iexible sheet-metal roof tting between said main and super frames and extending continuously from end to end of the car and from eave to ridge without bracing connection with either of said frames and composed of a series of independently-removable dat plates loosely and flexibly joined together at their meeting side edges by high standing joints consisting each of a high upright integral flange on one sheet and an integral open inverted-U fold on the adjacent sheet,and'removable bolts having threaded nuts extending through the lower ends of said metal plates and connecting said main and super frames together at the eaves thereof, and bolts connecting said main and super frames together at the ridge thereof, said bolts extending between themeet-ing ends of the oppositely-inclined metal plates at the ridge, substantially as specified.

CHARLES H. HUTCHINS.

Witnesses:

I-I. M. MUNDAY, EDMUND ADcooK.

TOO 

